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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27090088">Tea &amp; Rain &amp; Marriage Proposals</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/highfunctioningsarcastic/pseuds/highfunctioningsarcastic'>highfunctioningsarcastic</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Enola Holmes (2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Angst and Feels, Childhood Friends, F/M, Heavy Angst, Marriage Proposal, Sad, Sad Ending, Unwanted Proposal</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 05:42:55</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>600</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27090088</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/highfunctioningsarcastic/pseuds/highfunctioningsarcastic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Five times Tewkesbury asks Enola to marry him and one time he does not.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Enola Holmes &amp; Viscount "Tewky" Tewksbury, Enola Holmes/Viscount "Tewky" Tewksbury</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>100</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Tea &amp; Rain &amp; Marriage Proposals</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She hadn’t meant to see him again so soon, but the week after she and Tewkesbury parted, she’s standing outside Basilwether Hall in the rain. </p><p>“It’s nearly midnight,” Tewkesbury says.</p><p>“Lestrade arrested my landlady for a drug ring,” Enola says, wringing her hair out by the fire. “And I need somewhere to stay.”</p><p>“You could stay and marry me,” Tewkesbury says. “It would please Mycroft.”</p><p>“A kind offer, but I’ll do nothing that pleases my brother.”</p><p>When he leaves her borrowed room, scandalously late, Enola is already half asleep. He nearly whispers that he loves her, but just catches himself.</p><p> </p><p>“I need a favor,” Tewkesbury says, wringing his hands.</p><p>“What sort of a favor?” Enola pours tea, shoves a cup to him. It's been two months since he asked her to marry him last; she’s barely forgiven him for it.</p><p>“Mother’s best friend is missing. Lestrade doesn't believe her husband did it.”</p><p>“Sherlock would be better. He's more impartial, has better connections.”</p><p>“You, of all people, worried that you couldn’t be impartial?”</p><p>“I didn’t say that, Tewkesbury.” Enola busies herself with her tea.</p><p>“Does that mean you’ll marry me?”</p><p>“No, you useless boy, but I’ll take your case.” Tewkesbury smiles.</p><p> </p><p>He doesn’t see her for a year.</p><p>“I don’t give a fig about flowers, but tell me what red salvia means?” Tewkesbury turns to see Enola, hair down, sash askew, and thinks she’s never looked more beautiful. He needs a bride.</p><p>“Be mine forever.”</p><p>“Really. I ask you a serious question and you ask me to marry you again?” He didn’t mean to next ask her like this.</p><p>“I turned eighteen last month.”</p><p>“How is that of any importance?” </p><p>“My mother thinks I should be married,” Tewkesbury says. Enola’s mouth forms a soft ‘oh’.</p><p>“That’s no concern of mine.”</p><p>“Enola…”</p><p> </p><p>They have tea every Friday for months after another reform bill, catching up on small things instead of major life events. One week, Tewkesbury decides to press his luck.</p><p>“I need a wife, Enola. I want it to be you.” Her expression shutters.</p><p>“Oh, Tewkesbury.”</p><p>“We’d be happy. We would.”</p><p>“I don’t want a husband. I’d have to give up my work, my life, my freedom...I wouldn’t be happy.” She’s crying, suddenly, and he puts his hand on hers.</p><p>“I would never force you to do anything. You know that.”</p><p>“I do,” she nods, and they finish their tea.</p><p> </p><p>He’s running out of time when he reappears on her doorstep.</p><p>“Please, please reconsider.”</p><p>“Why do you keep asking me to marry you? Isn’t being friends enough?”</p><p>“I can’t keep seeing you like this. It isn’t seemly, Enola. People are beginning to talk.” He paces in front of her fire; she’s slumped in a chair. </p><p>“You’re beginning to sound like Mycroft,” she says tauntingly, but he answers seriously.</p><p>“Perhaps he had a point.”</p><p>“When have you ever cared,” Enola pauses to draw breath, tears in her eyes, “what other people said about you?” He nods sharply.</p><p>“Good night, Miss Holmes.”</p><p> </p><p>Enola returns to Basilwether Hall only for Tewkesbury’s engagement party. Lady Catherine is charming, sociable, witty: all things a marchioness ought to be, two things Enola isn’t. Tewkesbury’s so shocked he upsets some red salvia flowers Catherine set out.</p><p>“Your mother invited me,” she says. </p><p>“Ah.”</p><p>The silence of things left unsaid stretches.</p><p>“Congratulations on your engagement,” Enola says softly, and Tewkesbury holds back questions a gentleman cannot ask.</p><p>“Thank you,” Tewkesbury responds, and an apology on Enola’s tongue fades: she regrets nothing, after all.</p><p>“I should go,” she says, and he does not follow. </p><p>The rain keeps falling down.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is the first thing I've ever cried about while writing.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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